Publications Office of the EU
JIAMCATT 2024 - EU Vocabularies
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JIAMCATT 2024

The Publications Office of the EU participated at the International Annual Meeting on Computer-Assisted Translation and Terminology (JIAMCATT) 2024, hosted by UNESCO on 6-8 March 2024. The conference showcased the evolving landscape of translation and terminology in the era of artificial intelligence and digital technology. The event, attended by an array of international organisations, European institutions and agencies, national institutions and academic bodies underscored the profession's shifting paradigms towards semantic technologies, AI, and the pivotal role of reference data in the authoring-translation-publishing (ATP) chain.


 

A significant highlight was the three rounds of demos titled "Semantic synergy: Empowering AI through controlled vocabularies and terminologies based on semantic technologies", conducted by colleagues from OP.A.1. These sessions, attended by over 90% of the attendees, underscored the growing interest for the role of semantic technologies in enhancing AI's effectiveness. The demos showcased how controlled vocabularies and terminologies could be harnessed to improve the accuracy and relevance of AI-powered translation tools, thus marking a significant innovation in the field.

Another focal point was the presentation on "Semantic integration: Advancing translation and terminology management in the AI era", also delivered by OP.A.1. This presentation drew high interest and spurred numerous inquiries, reflecting the professional community's keen interest in integrating semantic technologies into terminology and knowledge management. The discourse around this topic highlighted the potential for semantic integration to streamline translation workflows, enhance consistency across documents, and ultimately elevate the quality of multilingual content.

The presentation on "AKN4EU: Interoperability framework for legal information in the EU" (OP.A.1) further captured the audience's attention, spotlighting the necessity and benefits of establishing interoperable standards for legal information across the European Union. This initiative is in line with a similar UN initiative and the LEOS/EdIT projects, and viewed as a groundbreaking step toward simplifying the legal information exchange and enhancing the accessibility and reliability of legal documents in multiple languages.

Insights from JIAMCATT 2024 emphasise the importance of adopting semantic technologies and AI to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of language professionals, highlighting the need for continuous innovation and collaboration across the authoring, translation and publishing ecosystem. The conference showcased how semantic technologies improve content integration, while AI supports linguistic tasks, underscoring the value of staying abreast of technological advancements and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and experimentation.

The recommendations from JIAMCATT 2024 stress the promotion of multilingualism and inclusivity through technology, the development of a unified framework for AI deployment, and greater alignment between IT and language professionals. It calls for support to smaller organisations in technology adaptation, exploration of AI’s broader applications, proactive engagement in technology adoption by language services, a comprehensive overview of the technological landscape, and regular information-sharing sessions to leverage collective knowledge within the JIAMCATT community.